Ethnomycology
Sveta Yamin‐pasternak, Igor Pasternak
The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology September 5, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea2088 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractEthnomycology examines the roles of fungi in human social experience, spanning cultural domains and crossing humanities, fine arts, and social and natural sciences. Its early ties to cultural anthropology stem from exchanges between Claude Lévi-Strauss and R. Gordon Wasson from the 1950s to the 1980s. Since then, research on behaviors, uses, cultural transitions, and social relationships related to fungi has revealed diverse ideas about human-fungi engagements.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 5 |
| Key finding | Argues that ethnomycology is an inherently multidisciplinary field with early ties to cultural anthropology through exchanges between Claude Lévi‐Strauss and R. Gordon Wasson, and that subsequent research has unearthed a great variety of ideas about human–fungi engagements. |
Abstract
Ethnomycology is concerned with the roles of fungi in the human social experience. An inherently multidisciplinary field, it reaches into myriad cultural domains and crosses interests in the humanities, fine arts, and social and natural sciences. Ethnomycology's early ties to cultural anthropology are in great part connected to the history of exchanges, from the 1950s to the 1980s, between Claude Lévi‐Strauss and R. Gordon Wasson. Since then, the growing body of research on the behaviors, uses, cultural transitions, and social relationships related to fungi has unearthed a great variety of ideas pertaining to human–fungi engagements.